Stroboscope



Patented Sept. 6, 1932 NITED STATES PATENT f OF FlC Ei PHILIP c.wEN'rwoR'rr onrnovInENcE; nnonn isnANn, AnnJAMEs VERY,- or FRANKLIN,massacnusnr'rs, Assrenons TO NATIONALRING'TRAVELER; co er PROVIDENCE,RHODE ISLAND, A cor ronnrroiv or R-rronn rsmmn srnonoscorn Applicationflled trune 10, 1931. Serial Ho. 543,314.

This invention relates to stroboscopes and is particularly adapted foruse with such equipment as ring spinning and twisting equipment wherethe problem is to observe and intelligently analyze the many varyingfactors involved in order to. establish the proper relationship betweenthe spindle, ring and traveler used in ring spinning and twisting yarn.These varying factors all have a definite bearing upon the ultimateresult obtained and all have a definite relationship to each other andto the particular type of observation apparatus employed. The -existence of these factors has always beenknown, but on account of the lackof any reliable apparatus for positively observing their 'efiects underconditions of actual service, such effects could only be guessed at andany change or correction oflered as a remedy was aptto bemoretheoretical than actually justified by positive observation.

For example, spindle speeds often vary,- even where the spindlesaredriven from a common driving source, and the traveler lags withreference to the spindle speed; Such traveler laghas a definite bearingupon the proper functioning of the traveler, as does the weight of thetraveler, the angle of'the thread.v relative to the axis of the spindle,the difference in tension during the rising and falling phases of therail, and the'constantly increasing diameter of the thread being laid onthe bobbin. These, and many other factors, all contribute towardsvariations in the the traveler are in proper relationship to each other.As previously'suggested, suchrelationship may be a matter of travelerspeed-or,

spindle speed, or may be a combination of either of these.H'avingestablished by such; observation the particular factors involvedfor any given installation, the proper corrective'steps nextto be takenmay then be acourately determined. When such corrective steps are made,the mill-owner may then obtain that efHciency of operation which hasbeen so long desired inthe ring spinning and twisting art and whichwould be represented by the theoretically attained condition of atraveler freely floating on the ring.-

As illustrative of the principles of'our invention we show in theaccompanyingdraw ing a form of'stroboscope operating upon the principleof periodic interruption of illumi nation. Such apparatus isillustrative rather than limiting, as the stroboscopic principle may beattained in various other manners.

1 In such drawing':'

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a stroboscope in accordance with our presentinvention, and f Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

I Since oneof' the desiderata in a deviceo this character is that theapparatus shall be capable of'ready transportation to the spinning frameor' other object to be observed,-

we have-illustrateda portable stroboscope of light and compact form inthis drawing. 7.

As such, our stroboscope comprises a base 1 on which is mounted avariable speed motor 2 which maybe belted as at3 throughchange speedpulleys l and 5 and-6 and 7 to a driven shaft 81 i 'The driven shaft isformed asa pair of alined sections flexibly connected as at 9. Thetwo's'haft sections are mounted in suit able bearings 10, 11 and 12; Oneshaft section, here indicated as the shaft section 13, is

VVhere the observation apparatus is mechanical' rather than electricalwe may use the interference type of vision interrupter in place of theintermittently flashing projector, such interrupter being an apertureddisc or the like for periodically interrupting vision of the part to beobserved, the number of interruptions corresponding to the speed of theinterrupter shaft.

The opposite section 8 of the sectional driven shaft has attached to itsouter end a we provide means whereby the speed of the motor may bepositively controlled by regulating the input-of operating current. Sucha device is indicated, at 20 and consists of a variable resistancethrough which the current to the motor is passed. The resistanceapparatus 20 is provided with a manually operable control knob'21 bymeans of whlch the input of the current to the motor may be manuallyregulated and with a push button 22 functioning as an accelerator bymeans of which the motor may be quickly speededup independently of thecontrol knob 21 "in the event that the operator does not wish to takethe time to attainthe desired speed by the slower method of increasingthe input of the current by means of the control knob. j A Y I v Inoperation, the apparatus is positioned adjacent the spinning or twistingframe whiehis to be observed and the motor 2 and flash projector 16 areconnect-ed up with the current source, preferably by-meansof independentswitchcontrols.

The variable resistance 20 enables the input of current to the motor tobe positively regulated and thus the speed of the motor brought up tothe desired speed, which speed will approximate the speed of thespindle. to be observed. By manipulating the control knob 21 of suchresistance 20, the motor may readily be maintained at the desired speed,the accelerator button 22 permitting the motor to be speeded up asneeded.

. The rotation of the motor shaft is transmitted through belt 2 andchain speed pulleys, 4 or 5 and 6 or 7 to the driven shaft 8 with noappreciable loss of speed, and the speed of the driven shaft 8 and thusthe flash frequency of the flash projector is visually indicated to theobserver'by means of the tachometer 17 which is driven from shaft 8.Should for any reason it be desired to slow down the flash frequencyofthe pro- -The estimated lag of the traveler is usually about'10%' of therequired traveler speed. The tachometer furnishes a convenient means fordetermining the relative speed of the traveler and its percentage of lagmay be approximately fixed by varying the speed of the motor through theextremely sensitive control afforded by 'the variable resistance 20. Thetraveler may be brought momentarily to aposition at which it appears tobe substantially stationaryand may be held in such position sufficientlylong to enable its position on the ringto bedefinitely observed. This isimportant in determiningwhether or not a traveler is too light-or tooheavy for the particular grade of yarn being spun or twisted. If. thetraveler is too light for the yarn being used or for. the particularspeed at which the spindlev is being rotated, the traveler will appearto be thrown outwardly by centrifugal action. If too heavy, the travelerwill tendto lag so much that it will appear t'obe drawn radially of thering. In either case the result is to'produce an undesirable frictiononithe ring at the horns of the traveler. Such friction is responsiblefor the lag of the-traveler. More than this, it produces destructivewear on thetraveler horns and, the expensive. traveler ringv and causesthe yarn being spun or twisted to vary in diameter. I

'By our inventiontherefore we are able toanalyze the action of anyspindle equipment which is not functioningproperly or which appears tobe functioning properly but actually is" not, and as a result of ourstudy to determine which of the several factors of spindle speed,traveler speed, traveler lag, traveler weight, angle ofthread relativeto the a'xis'of the spindle, difference in tension between the risingand falling movements of rail, constantly increasing diameter of thethread being laid on the bobbin, may be involved and intelligently toprescribe the required corrective steps to be taken.

. Various modifications in the construction and operation of our devicemay obviously be resorted to if within the spirit and scope of ourinvention without departing from the limits of the appended claims lVhatWe therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.Stroboscopic apparatus for determining the necessary factors toestablish the proper relationship between the; spindle, ring andtraveler used in ring. spinning and twisting yarn, comprising a variablespeedmoto'r, an

interrupter shaft driven from said motor at speeds regulatable to thevarying speed of the spindle and traveler relative to each other, avariable resistance for controlling the input of current to said motor,an interrupter driven from said driven shaft a flash light manipulatablewith reference to the part or parts to be observed and adapted to beperiodically flashed by said interrupter in synchronism therewith fordetermining stroboscopically the speed of the spindle and travelerrelative to each other so that the relation of the traveler to the ringmay be observed with the stroboscope at the speed obtained, and atachometer driven from said driven shaft for visually indicating thespeed of said driven shaft.

2. Stroboscopic apparatus for determining the necessary factors toestablish the proper relationship between the spindle, ring and travelerused in ring spinning and twisting yarn, comprising a variable speedmotor, an interrupter shaft driven from said motor at speedsregula-table to the varying speed of the spindle and traveler relativeto each other, a variable resistance for controlling the input ofcurrent to said motor, said resistance including a control knob by meansof which the resistance to said motor may be manually regulated and anaccelerator by means of which the motor may be instantly speeded up, aninterrupter driven from said driven shaft a flash light manipulatablewith reference to the part or parts to be observed and adapted to beperiodically flashed by said interrupter in synchronism therewith fordetermining stroboscopically the speed of the spindle and travelerrelative to each other so that the relation of the traveler to the ringmay be observed with the stroboscope at the speed obtained and atachometer driven from said driven shaft for visually indicating thespeed of said driven shaft.

3. Stroboscopic apparatus for determining the necessary factors toestablish the proper relationship between the spindle, ring and travelerused in ring spinning and twisting yarn, comprising a variable speedmotor, an interrupter shaft driven from said motor at speeds regulatableto the varying speed of the spindle and traveler relative to each other,a variable resistance for controlling the input of current to saidmotor, an interrupter driven from said driven shaft a flash lightmanipulatable with reference to the part or parts to be observed andadapted to be periodically flashed by said interrupter in synchronismtherewith for determining stroboscopically the speed of the spindle andtraveler relative to each other so that the relation of the traveler tothe ring may be observed with the stroboscope at the speed obtained.

4t. Stroboscopic apparatus for determining the necessary factors toestablish the proper relationship between the spindle, ring and travelerused in ring spinning and twisting yarn, comprising a variable speedmotor, an

interrupter shaft driven from said motor at speeds regulatable to thevarying speed-of the spindle and traveler relative to each other, avariable resistance for controlling the input of current to said motor,said resistance including a control knob by means of which theresistance to said motor may be manually regulated and an accelerator bymeans of which the motor may be instantly speeded up, an interrupterdriven from said driven shaft a flash light manipulatable with referenceto the part or parts to be observed and adapted to be periodicallyflashed by said interrupter in synchronism therewith for determiningstroboscopically the speed of the spindle and traveler relative to eachother so that the relation of the traveler to the ring may be observedwith the stroboscope at'the speed obtained, a tachometer driven fromsaid driven shaft for visually indicating the speed of said driven shaftand a frictional retarding device for said driven shaft manuallyoperableto reduce the speed of said shaft.

In testimonywhereof we alfix our signatures.

PHILIP C. WENTWORTH. JAMES H. AVERY.

